They felt as if they were two glasses of water being poured into one larger container. Swirling and settling in the darkness. - Rudy Ruiz

Books can build bridges between worlds. When we travel across those bridges and walk in others' shoes, our sense of empathy grows. Books are bridges that help us cross borders, bringing us closer together as human beings.

In the case of Valley of Shadows, I sort of imagine, could the situation have been different had there been more people of color in positions of power? So it kind of turns the Western on its head by having a Mexican American sheriff be the person that's trying to solve these crimes and bring justice to his town. … And by doing that, I wanted to create a story where the people that have often been marginalized in the telling of these histories have an opportunity to reclaim their place and their role in history.

While I can bear to lose love, I cannot bear to lose honor.